BWT is setting out to make ag wheels simple, and as we often get asked what the best rowcrops are for Case Puma and Optum tractors we’ve put together a quick guide. All the sets that we recommend in this article are our most commonly sold, pre-checked sets from our Core Product range.
Case Puma LWB & SWB
There are two important things to consider when choosing rowcrop wheels – the width of the tyre and the weight carrying capacity.
Our most common selling all-rounder rowcrop wheel for the Puma (and top selling size across all our sets) is the 380/90R50. In our Core Range we also offer 320/90R54, often used for more specialist crops or spraying in an established crop, or the wider 480/80R46 which is more popular in Scotland. Read on for more information about the sets we sell:
380/90R50
The best rowcrop size for the Case Puma is 380/90R50 & 380/85R34. This is the most popular option and the size we most often recommend.
The 380 wide tyre is the metric equivalent to the 14.9 imperial size. It’s our most common size for potato growing (destoning, planting, spraying, irrigation and harvesting) and also cereals (particularly spraying and fertilizer spreading).
Our three most popular options in this size are as follows:
Maxam
Maxam offer a high load rating tyre in their rowcrop tyres. The rear tyres have a 160A8/B load rating, which means that they can carry 4500kg per wheel up to 50kmh or 9 ton across the back axle. This is the set that we’d recommend if the tractor will be carrying a heavy load, such as a mounted fert spinner, or pulling a heavy trailer.
Best for: The best value, high-load rowcrop tyres
BKT
BKT offer a good mid-range tyre but this set doesn’t have as high a load rating as the Maxam option. The rear tyres have a 151A8/B load rating, so is rated to carry 3450kg per wheel up to 50kmh, or 6.9 ton across the back axle. This is easily overloaded so if the tractor will be carrying a mounted fert spinner or pulling a heavy trailer then we’d definitely recommend the higher load rating.
While BKT do also offer a 380/90R50 in a higher load rating it doesn’t work with the 4WD ratio on the Puma with a BKT front so we don’t list it as a set.
320/90R54
This size is much less common but some customers prefer the narrower 320 width tyre for more specialist applications. It is often used for crops such as lettuce, carrots or asparagus.
BKT
We offer the BKT brand in the 320/90R54 size as it has the highest load rating of all tyre brands in this size. It has a 156A8/B load rating so is rated to carry 4000kg per wheel up to 50kmh, or 8 ton across the back axle.
480/80R46
The third rowcrop option that we sell for the Case Puma is the 480/80R46. Some customers prefer the wider 480 width rowcrop as it makes the wheels a bit more versatile – narrow enough to do rowcrop work but wide enough to give a bit more stability when pulling a trailer on the road. It is more popular in Scotland.
Maxam
The Maxam has a rear tyre load rating of 158A8/B so is rated to carry 4250kg up to 50kmh, or 8.5 ton across the back axle.
Best for: Budget multi-purpose option
BKT
The BKT set has the same load rating as the Maxam set – the rear tyres are rated to carry 4250kg up to 50kmh, or 8.5 ton across the back axle.
Best for: Mid-range multi-purpose option
Why isn’t there a 420 option for the Puma?
Unfortunately, as yet, no tyre manufacturers make a 420 width tyre in an equivalent height to the 380/90R50 (the tallest that we’d put on a Puma). If only a 420 width will work, you can drop down a size to a 420/80R46. This will drop the tractor down a bit and give you a bit less clearance – to give you an idea of how much we can compare BKT technical tyre data for their 380/90R50 and 420/80R46 tyres:
420/80R46 BKT 151D/162A8 – overall diameter 1840mm – static loaded radius 863mm
380/90R50 BKT 151A8/B – overall diamater 1954mm – static loaded radius 913mm
So the 420 tyre is 114mm shorter overall than the 380, or the equivalent of 57mm smaller all around the circumference of the tyre. The difference in the static loaded radius of the tyre tells us that the 420/80R46 will have 50mm less clearance than the 380/90R50.
These measurements will vary when comparing different tyre brands.
Case Optum
The Optum can fit a taller diameter rowcrop than the Puma. There are 4 main sizes that we sell:
380/105R50
The 380/105R50 is the highest load rating option in a 380mm wide. It has a deep sidewall which increases the load carrying capacity and means you can run at slightly lower pressure. It also gives a more comfortable ride. The 380/105R50 is a VF tyre.
The VF 380/105R50 BKT Spargo will carry 7,750kg per rear tyre, up to 65kmh.
The 380/90R54 & 380/105R50 both give a similar diameter – one has a smaller sidewall and larger rim diameter, the other a deeper sidewall and smaller rim diameter. Both will give the max clearance on a Case Optum tractor.
BKT
The BKT 380/105R50 is a VF tyre rated to carry 7750kg per rear tyre up to 65kmh, or 15.5 ton across the back axle.
Best for: High-load and lower pressure
380/90R54
The 380/90R54 is the best value option in a 380mm wide tyre to suit a Fendt 800 series tractor. However the load rating isn’t as high as the 380/105R50.
The 380/90R54 BKT Agrimax will carry 4,250kg per rear tyre, up to 50kmh.
The 380/90R54 & 380/105R50 both give a similar diameter – one has a smaller sidewall and larger rim diameter, the other a deeper sidewall and smaller rim diameter. Both will give the max clearance on a Case Optum tractor.
BKT
The BKT 380/90R54 is rated to carry 4250kg per rear tyre up to 50kmh, or 8.5 ton across the back axle. The BKT 380/90R54 is not a VF tyre like the 380/105R50.
Best for: Best value rowcrop option
420/95R50
The 420/95R50 is a good option if you want a slightly wider width of rowcrop. It is a VF tyre which means it also has a high load rating.
The VF 420/95R50 BKT Spargo will carry 7,300kg per rear tyre, up to 65kmh.
BKT
The BKT 420/95R50 is a VF tyre, rated to carry 7300kg per rear tyre up to 65kmh or 14.6 ton across the back axle.
Best for: High-load in a slightly wider width
480/80R50
Some customers prefer the wider 480 width rowcrop as it makes the wheels a bit more versatile – narrow enough to do rowcrop work but wide enough to give a bit more stability when pulling a trailer on the road.
The VF480/80R50 BKT Spargo will carry 7,750kg per rear tyre, up to 65kmh.
BKT
The BKT 480/80R50 is a VF tyre, rated to carry 7750kg per tyre up to 65kmh or 15.5 ton across the back axle.
Best for: High-load in a wider width
What track widths are available?
72″, 80″ and 2 metre are the most common track widths we get asked for but rowcrop sets in our Core Range can be built up to anything from 72″ to 80″. If you’re needing more than one track width you may need to go for adjustable rims – a set of rowcrops on adjustable rims usually comes out about £500 more expensive.
If you require a wider or narrower track width please contact us for a bespoke quote.
